PRESS RELEASES

PRESS RELEASES

The President of the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), His Highness Dr. Turki bin Saud Mohamed Al Saud, in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Muhammad bin Salman, and Manuel Valls, the French Prime Minister, signed a cooperation agreement with Hervé Guillou, Chairman and CEO of DCNS. The agreement, signed on October 13 in Riyadh, aims to foster the development of a Research and Development centre in Saudi Arabia dedicated to the naval and maritime domain.

KACST and DCNS both give great importance to R&D and are convinced of its key role in the preparation for the future development of skills and the strengthening of national sovereignty.

His Highness Dr Turki bin Saud Mohamed Al Saud noted that signing the cooperation agreement with DCNS comes within the scope of executing the National Science, Technology and Innovation Plan (MARIFAA) and KACST’s move to expand research collaboration with leading international institutions like DCNS.

“DCNS is very proud to join the prestigious circle of KACST international partners. Saudi Arabia is a historical strategic partner of DCNS and France, with which we have maintained close ties since almost four decades," said Hervé Guillou. "Supporting Saudi Arabia in its development and the preparation of the future seemed something completely natural to us.”

The collaborative naval and maritime research centre will initially address three areas: Intelligent marine systems, material corrosion and foiling, and simulation and modeling.

KACST hopes that these projects provide new solutions and innovations in naval and maritime research leading to localizing technology in the kingdom to fulfill its national needs and promote its human and economic resources. DCNS believes this collaboration is in line with its strategy, which aims to build a close and durable relation with its partners and develop a joint technological vision for the future in the naval and maritime domain.